South Asian Games: Chain stars as India continue to rule

Winner of the 50m rifle men’s individual shooting event Chain Singh (centre) is flanked by second-placed Gagan Narang (left) and third-placed S.M.M. Samarkoon of Sri Lanka in the 12th South Asian Games in Guwahati on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

Olympics-bound shooter Chain Singh signed off with an astonishing collection of six gold medals as the consistently dominant Indian contingent added to their medal heap and stayed on top in the overall standings of the 12th South Asian Games here on Sunday.

For the ninth successive day of competitions, India stood atop the medals table with 275 overall (160 gold, 88 silver and 21 bronze), way ahead of second-placed Sri Lanka 167 (25, 56, 85). Pakistan were third with 81 medals (9, 27, 45).

The shooters were once again the star performers for the country with Chain stealing the thunder from the Olympic bronze-medallist Gagan Narang.

Chain picked up his third individual gold of the competition by winning the men’s 50m rifles 3 positions.

There were only two gold medals on offer at the shooting range on the day and the Indians picked up both to continue their sweep at the Games. India also easily took the gold in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event.

The 26-year-old Chain shot a total of 453.3 to take the gold, once again upstaging Gagan who claimed the silver with 450.3. Sri Lanka’s S.M.M. Samarkoon got the bronze.

Chain had earlier won the individual gold in the 50m rifle prone and the 10m air rifle.

Narang took part in all the three rifle events but failed to pick up a gold. He had bagged a silver in the 50m rifle prone and a bronze in the 10m air rifle before.

The gold rush continued in triathlon as well with the hosts bagging the top spot in the mixed relay team event.

The boxers also packed a punch. London Olympics bronze-medallist M.C. Mary Kom led the charge as six home boxers stormed into the final with comprehensive wins in the first session of the semi-finals.

On a comeback trail after recovering from an injury, Mary Kom’s 51kg category bout lasted less than 40 seconds as she was adjudged winner via Technical Knockout against Bangladesh’s Shamina Akter.

In the men’s competition, L. Devendro Singh (49kg) began the proceedings with a 3-0 win over Thiwana Ranasinghe. Shiva Thapa (56kg) had the height disadvantage against Mohammad Ohiduzzaman of Bangladesh but the Assamese boxer did well to defend himself before landing some powerful jabs with a tactical gameplan.

In Shillong, India managed one gold, two silver and a bronze in taekwondo.

Purva Dixit beat Nepal’s Y.K. Chaulagain in the women’s 49kg category to win the solitary gold medal in taekwondo.